Happy Birthday, Mack 10!

The lineage of legends that rep the west coasts is definitely something to be proud of. The only real downside is that it leaves many overlooked talents. Mack 10 is one of them. The rapper born Dedrick D’Mon Rolison turns 44 years old (Aug. 9).

Throughout the 90s, Mack 10, a member of the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods, joined the likes of Compton’s Most Wanted, Spice 1 and others in maintaining the west coast’s dominance. His debut self-titled album is considered by many to be a classic and his second album, Based on a True Story, peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 chart. Mack 10’s early career received a boost from former N.W.A member Ice Cube who gave guest verses and production assistance.

Mack 10 eventually teamed up with Ice Cube and WC to form the supergroup Westside Connection. Their 1996 debut album Bow Down reached platinum certification and their 2003 follow-up Terrorist Threats, which featured the hit “Gangsta Nation,” achieved gold certification.

Today, Mack 10 is keeping it independent. He released his last album, Soft White, back in 2009.